1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications, and more particularly to a method for establishing cost effective local calls.
2. Related Art
Although competition has brought many advances and new telecommunications services, limited options are available to place a local call from a public payphone. Consumers have two ways of placing local calls using a payphone. The consumer may use the traditional method of paying the telephone company payphone charge by inserting money into the payphone. Alternatively, the consumer may dial a toll free number and use their calling card to bill the local call to their home account.
The traditional method for making a local call using a public payphone is the consumer inserts the charge for the call into the payphone. When placing local calls from a payphone by inserting the charge for the call directly into the phone, the consumer must have the exact change, i.e., 35 cents, charged-by the payphone provider for placing the call. If the consumer dials the wrong number, the consumer may not receive credit for the call. If the call is of short duration, the consumer pays a high charge for a local call (often more expensive than a long distance call).
Alternatively, the consumer may dial a toll free number and use their calling card to bill the local call to their home account. A calling card is a card with a number that allows residential customers to place a long distance call from a phone other than their home phone and bill the call to their home account by providing the calling card number. When placing local calls from a payphone by using a calling card, the consumer must dial a toll free number. Upon a prompt, such as a chime, the consumer enters their 14 digit calling card number. Upon a second prompt such as a double beep, the consumer dials their destination number. The call is processed and billed by the long distance provider. Surcharges for using the calling card apply.